(Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers; just Anwen and any other OC's I've added)

(Authors Note: Hello dear readers, fellow fangirls (& fanboys), gamers and fellow writers, I'm glad you're enjoying the story thus far and I hope this chapter will add to your current entertainment. I hope you all are staying warm out there as well as staying safe. The weather has been less than agreeable in my little neck of the woods and I've been unable to leave my homestead due to the sheer amount of snow and ice covering the near mile-long dirt road I live down, so that's been a blast (not really). Anyways, I hope this chapter warms your spirits up and brings a smile to your faces. Until next time, stay positive, stay warm, stay safe, stay sane and stay awesome!)

"English/French"

'Mental thoughts'

"Flashbacks" (and sometimes sarcasm)

{Cybertronian}

::Sparkbonds::

:Speaker talk:

::Comm. Link::

*:Phone calls:*

Chapter 11

Anwen was currently lying on the ground and firing a M24 SWS at an array of targets Ironhide had placed over 800 meters (875 yd) away while he, Ratchet and the twins stood off to the side and watched with fascination. She successfully hit every target and when none remained standing, she put the safety on, removed her protective ear coverings and safety goggles before sitting upright and facing the group, "I know I'm not a soldier or a sniper by any means, but I'd say that was pretty good."

"Pretty good? Ani, that was amazing!"

A small dust of pink appeared along her cheeks as she smiled up at the silver mech, "Oh, now you're just being nice."

"No, Sideswipe is right; that was some impressive shooting you did there," Sunstreaker stated as a matter-of-factly.

"Indeed," agreed Ironhide with a smirk. "Not many of you squishies can hit all the targets without missing a couple of rounds in the process. I'm proud of you, Anwen."

"Merci, Ironhide," she felt her eyes misting over, to which she willed herself not to cry.

"So where did you learn to shoot like that, young one?" Ratchet asked, intrigued.

Anwen was quiet for a moment before she replied, "...After our parents died, my brother took it upon himself to teach me gun safety and how to shoot. He always said that I should learn to handle a gun in case I ever needed to use one."

At that, Ironhide crossed his arms and gave her an understanding look, "He taught you well. I'm sure he'd be proud of you."

"Oui, he would," she agreed as a sad smile graced her angelic face.

XXXXX

After cleaning the M24 SWS and returning it to the weapons hanger, Anwen said her temporary goodbyes to Ironhide and Ratchet before heading out with the twins for a drive around the island. At the moment, she was riding in Sideswipe's alt form while Sunstreaker followed behind them. :So, Ani, I've been meaning to ask...what triggered your panic attack? I'm sorry for prying, but if there's a way for Sunny and I to prevent you from experiencing something like that again, we want to help.:

At his kind words, Anwen gently rubbed the armrest, "It's not really something that can be easily prevented, nor can I control when one might occur. I've only had four major panic attacks in my life thus far, so it's rather uncommon for me to experience them." *sigh* "But as for what triggered that minor one...it wasn't a 'what' but a 'who'. One of my male coworkers happened upon me when I was casually conversing with some of your fellow Autobots and human comrades. He said something that left me feeling humiliated and angry...I told him off and wanted to physically hurt him, but I was so embarrassed and enraged by what he said that I felt myself going into a state of panic."

At her statement, Sideswipe emitted a slight growl, which thankfully, went unheard by the young ginger, :Who was it?:

*sigh* "Why do I have a feeling that you and your brother are going to plot out some sort of revenge?"

:Ani, we're not going to just sit by and do nothing. You shouldn't have to put up with slag like that in the first place.:

She made a small nod of understanding and quietly answered, "Je sais (I know)…"

At her tone, Sideswipe felt his spark clench slightly, to which he spoke in a comforting voice, :You know that you can always come to me or Sunstreaker if you need to talk or vent something off your chest, right?:

At that, Anwen faintly smiled and gave a nod as she glanced into the rearview mirror, "Oui. Merci."

:Of course, sweetspark.: He tilted the mirror as a form of acknowledgement.

XXXXX

As they drove around the island, they soon came upon a rather scenic lookout point, to which Sideswipe allowed Anwen to exit his alt form before he transformed alongside his twin after he pulled up beside them. "What do you think of the view, Ani?"

"Magnifique," she smiled in awe at the incredible sight before her. From this vantage point she could see a rather isolated beach that was bordered by tropical plants and trees while beside it stretched the vast ocean: Its waves gently kissed the shoreline while its waters glistened with the evening sunlight that brightly shone in the horizon.

"It is pretty beautiful for an organic scenery," Sunstreaker replied. "Sideswipe and I sometimes drive up here when we want to get away from it all back at the base."

"I can see why: it's gorgeous up here."

"Yes, it is," his gaze met hers and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Anwen felt her heart race inside her chest, but unlike the painful beating from earlier, it was pleasant and exciting in a way that she couldn't quite explain. She knew her cheeks were turning into strawberries with how warm they felt and how red they must have appeared to the two frontliners. Both Sunstreaker and Sideswipe shared a knowing look before she finally spoke: "I must thank you both for bringing me up here. I honestly didn't know this place existed until now."

"Think nothing of it, sweetspark. We're just glad you're feeling better. Ain't that right, Sunny?"

At the use of that damned nickname, he sent his twin a glare before returning back to his neutral expression, "Right."

"Well, I am feeling much better than I was earlier. Merci for the inquiry and support. I'm just glad to be spending time with the both of you."

"And we're glad to be hanging out with you, Ani," Sides replied with a charming smile before casually sitting down on the ground while Sunstreaker chose to stand.

Anwen followed Sideswipe's example and sat down across from him in order to maintain eye/optic contact while conversing. "So, have you two figured out a plan for this weekend or is it going to be a surprise?"

Sunstreaker crossed his arms and gave her a faint smirk, "Nosey one, aren't you?"

"Quelle (What)? I'm curious to know what to expect," she shrugged as she shyly smiled up at him. "But if your plan is to surprise me, then I suppose I'll have to just wait and see what it is."

"That would be preferable," he stated and gave a tilt of his helm.

"Don't worry, Ani. Sunny and I've got everything planned out. Besides, as I've mentioned: you only need to bring your smile."

At her blush, both mechs felt their sparks 'humm' in adoration. Anwen also felt a warm tugging sensation within her chest, but in no way did it give her any cause for concern. Instead, it felt comforting and gentle, like a hug from a loved one.

It was nice.

As they sat in quiet contentment, Anwen glanced up at the two of them and stated, "Sooo, since we're going to be here for a while still, why don't you both tell me more about yourselves."

"You actually want to know more about us," Sunstreaker asked and raised an optic ridge.

"Well, yea. I don't have much to go on other than you're both from Cybertron, serve with the Autobots, and are twin brothers."

"Good point," Sideswipe replied with a smirk. "Well then, allow me to share some information with you. While it's true that Sunny and I are twins, we're not like your average twins: We're split-sparked. This means that when we were created, or conceived in your terms, the original spark spit in two, resulting in the gorgeous mechs you see before you today," he shamelessly winked, causing her to smile.

"Interesting...I've heard of similar cases like that happening with humans. Of course, that usually results in identical twins and obviously you two are not completely identical…other than muscular build and facial structure."

Sunstreaker gave her a faint smirk, "You noticed that, huh? Most of you humans don't even notice such details."

"Of course I noticed...Your frameworks are practically identical to one another. Granted, there are some obvious differences, but the similarities are rather distinct. You're both incredible looking, by the way. And I'm not saying that to stroke your ego's. I genuinely mean what I say."

Sideswipe warmly glanced down at the young woman while Sunstreaker looked her over for any form of deceit: there was none. "Well, we think you're incredible too, Ani."

At that, she just shook her head, "No, I'm not. I'm just a skinny, redheaded nobody with big breasts and a skill for analyzing computer programs."

"Ani, you are so much more than that. You're a kind, compassionate, beautiful and talented individual with a magnetic personality that draws everybody in."

Sunstreaker gave a nod in agreement before adding, "You're also forgiving..."

She looked up at him and shrugged, "Forgive and forget is something I've learned through experience." She then had a sad look to her warm, amber eyes, "However...there are some whom I will never forgive and can't forget...no matter how hard I try."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head, "No...At least, not yet. I hope you understand."

"We do," Sideswipe replied in a reassuring tone. "Now, you said that you wanted to know more about us. So what would you like to know?"

Anwen looked up at the brothers and asked, "Where on Cybertron did you come from?"

At that, Sunstreaker finally sat down and answered, "Sideswipe and I came from a smaller city-state known as Gygax. From the time we were sparked until we were seven vorns old, we lived with our creators, our parents. Our Sire was a defense instructor at the Cyber-Ninja Dojo and our Carrier worked as a curator at the Cybertron History Museum."

"What were their names," she asked curiously.

"...Axstomp and Sunflare," Sideswipe answered in a quiet tone as he cast his optics downward, while his twin sent a comforting vibe through their bond and placed a servo on his shoulder. Sunstreaker also felt a twinge of pain in his spark as memories began flooding his processor, but he kept his composure and remained strong for his brother. It's not that he didn't feel grief or expressed it, but he usually kept his emotions sealed off from others as a form of defense. It was a habit he couldn't shake off so easily, nor did he have a strong desire to do so.

Sensing their inner turmoil, Anwen gave a sympathetic look and kindly asked, "Do you want to talk about your creators or save it for another time?"

Sideswipe looked at his twin and appeared to have a private conversation with him before speaking up once more, "If it's alright sweetspark, can we tell you about them another time? Our story doesn't have a happy ending and we don't want to upset you."

She gave a nod, "I understand. When you're ready, feel free to tell me and I'll be happy to listen."

"Thanks, Ani."

"Bien sûr (Of course)."

He smiled and stated, "If it's alright, we'd like to learn more about you."

"Bien sur (Sure); what would you like to know?"

"Well, where are you originally from?"

Her golden amber eyes seemed to sparkle with joy upon hearing that question: it was obvious that she took pride in her roots. "I was born in Jonquière, Québec and spent the first eight years of my life there with my parents and my brother, Liam."

"When did you immigrate to the States?" Sunstreaker questioned. "I only ask because your file lists you as a U.S. citizen."

She frowned for a moment before answering, "It's not the most pleasant of stories, but I suppose it's better to talk about it now rather than later." *sigh* "You see, my Mother came to Québec as a foreign exchange student, and during her college years she met and married my Father. Unfortunately, both of their families disapproved of their relationship and cut all contacts with them after their elopement. Liam and I grew up not knowing our relatives and didn't think much of it...that is, until our parents were killed in a car accident that left us orphaned. I was only eight years old at the time and Liam had just turned sixteen."

Anwen's eyes seemed to dim as she continued her tale, "Neither families really reached out to us at first, but then our Mother's great aunt, Ms. Claudia, decided to take us in. Being the offspring of a U.S. citizen, Liam and I were permitted to move and reside in the States without having to go through the standard immigration customs. That being said, once the arrangements were made, we were sent to live with Ms. Claudia in Missoula, Montana. She was a strict woman, but kind and nurturing towards us. We lived with her for almost two years until Liam graduated high school and joined the U.S. Army. I stayed with her for another year until she suffered a fatal heart attack, which then left me as a ward of the state." She felt her eyes misting over and her chest tightening slightly from wanting to cry, "...I'd tell you more, but...it hurts to talk about...I-I can't…"

Both twins felt their sparks ache at her story and at her current state, to which Sunstreaker actually placed a servo on her shoulder/upper arm and gave her a gentle squeeze, while his brother did the same to her other shoulder. "You don't have to say anything else, sparklight; we understand."

"Exactly, sweetspark. You don't have to talk about that part of your past if you don't want to. But if you do, we'll be right here for ya. Won't we, Sunny?"

He glared at his twin for using that damned nickname, but gave a nod in agreement, "Right."

She looked up at them with glassy eyes, "Merci...I-I'm sorry you have to see me like this."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Ani. It's okay to be emotional. We don't think anything less of you for doing so. If nothing else, we're glad you're open to sharing a bit of your past with us."

At that, she couldn't help but faintly smile, "Same here. I feel a little better now that I've told you both a bit about myself."

"Good," Sunstreaker replied in a neutral, yet kind tone. "Perhaps Sideswipe and I will share a bit more of our past later this week. For now, let us talk of other things."

"Alright then. Are there any other questions that you'd like me to answer?"

Before either twin could speak, a loud growling sound interrupted them. Anwen's stomach had decided to rumble, which caused her cheeks to turn a bright shade of red. "Primus, Ani, was that your stomach we just heard," Sideswipe asked with an amused smirk across his face.

She pouted but gave a nod, "Oui…"

"Do you need us to take you to your apartment to refuel," Sunstreaker inquired with a hint of concern.

At that, Anwen couldn't help but smile at his tentativeness, "No, that's not necessary. I'll be fine until dinner. My body is just craving extra nutrients at the moment."

"Why's that?"

"...It's not really something I want to talk about."

"Fair enough." Both he and Sideswipe had a feeling that it had something to do with her monthly cycle. Like all Cybertronians', they too could smell her pheromones and knew she was experiencing menses. But unlike Ratchet, they were not as versed in human anatomy or functionality, and didn't know what all that entailed. Of course, with Anwen being a human and their chosen mate, they now had a reason to do some research...at a later time of course. Right now, they just wanted to enjoy the scenery with her.

XXXXX

-Half an hour later-

Anwen was currently riding with Sunstreaker as he and Sideswipe rolled back onto the road and drove off towards the apartment complex. Of course, they were taking the drive a bit slower than usual because they wanted to spend as much time as they could with the young ginger. She comfortably leaned against the seat and emitted a 'hmm' sound as she watched the scenery pass by through the tinted windows. "Merci for taking me to that lookout point. I really enjoyed the view as well as our conversations."

He felt his spark rate increase slightly at her words and touch as he suddenly felt her fingers lightly caress the armrest while her rear pressed further into his seat as she adjusted her seating position. :...You're welcome…:

She turned her head and smiled at the rearview mirror, knowing that although he was in vehicle form, he was looking at her, "Do you have patrol again tomorrow morning?"

:I do. Would you like me to stop by and drive you to base?:

"You don't need to drive me, but I wouldn't mind seeing you if you happen to pass by around 0530. That's usually when I leave the apartment. Of course, I tend to arrive early at the base so I can swim a few laps in the pool before heading off to the chow hall for breakfast."

He tilted the mirror in acknowledgement, :I'll be sure to keep that in mind.: